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(No ModeL) J. .MQLAIN COFPMAN FENCE.

Patented Apr. 7. 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MOLA IN GOFFMAN, OF WASHINGTON, OHIO.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,248, dated April 7, 1885.

Application filed September 22, 1884. (No model i T 0 all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MOLAIN GOFFMAN, of Washington, in the county of Fayette and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fence-locks; and it consists in the combination, with a fence,of two pieces of timber of suitable form, which are connected together at any suitable point, and then dropped down over the top of the fence into the angles formed by crossing the ends of the rails, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a lock for rail fences, which will serve to prevent the upper rails from being thrown .off or becoming accidentally displaced.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a fence embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, showing different forms of pieces of wood which are used to form the look.

A represents an ordinary rail vfenceto which my lock is applied. This lock consists of two pieces of timber, B, of suitable length and shape, and which are connected loosely tog'ether at their upper ends by means of a wire or other suitable material, C, and which lock is then dropped down over the top of the ends of the rails, as shown.

ends of the rails from being pushed off or pulled out for the purpose of tearing down or destroying the fence. It is not necessarythat these two pieces oftimber should be connected form this look will be of any shape, and of a length proportioned to the height of the fence. The locks being detachable, they can be re moved at any time, and then as readily replaced.

Having thus described my invention, I

' claim- The combination of a rail fence with the lock, consisting of two pieces of timber and a The wire catches across the lap of the top rails, and the pieces of timber catch inthe angles formed by crossing the rail ends, as shown, and prevent the 4 wire for connecting them together, the two pieces of the lock being dropped down over the overlapping ends of the rails, so as to catch in position by means of the wire, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MOLAIN COFFMAN.

Witnesses:

ALLEN HEGLER, M. VVILLARD.

60 in the angles formed thereby, and supported l 

